


essays and loving looks

by Drhair76



Series: to radiate with inexhaustible light [3]
Category: Anne of Green Gables (TV 1985) & Related Fandoms, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Gilbert Blythe is Whipped, Mutual Pining, and ruby is: oml child. just Tell her, gilbert is just: heart eyes, i could never., ne Way, she's just saying what we're all thinking, she's my child and she POPS OFF, yall rlly sleep on ruby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22395061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drhair76/pseuds/Drhair76
Summary: "You look at her like..." Ruby looked up and they locked eyes. There was something wistful in her expression, something longing. "...like she carved out the moon. Like she made the wind blow. Anne would say that it's all very romantical."Ruby looked back over to Anne and sighed softly. "Tragically romantical."or, Ruby is extremely smart and Gilbert is extremely obvious
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe & Ruby Gillis, Ruby Gillis & Moody Spurgeon MacPherson
Series: to radiate with inexhaustible light [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1608112
Comments: 7
Kudos: 153





	essays and loving looks

**Author's Note:**

> this genuinely was not supposed to happen. I was planning another fic entirely and then ruby started popping Off. I mean, who can blame her? but now I have to add a whole nother fic to this series lol 
> 
> but anyway, enjoy me speaking through ruby gillis (or what I like to call, my internal want to write an ap english essay about anne and Gilbert's love)

Ruby brought it to his attention one day. 

They were paired together on a project to co-write an essay. They hadn't been allowed to pick their partners, otherwise Gilbert's choice would have been obvious. 

Gil likes to think that Anne's would have been as well, but she did seem particularly comfortable paired up with Moody. He bites back a laugh as he watches Moody attempt to scribble down whatever Anne seems to be saying. 

He's thinking that he wouldn't be struggling to write down all she had to say if they were partnered together when Ruby nudges him gently. 

"Gilbert, you seem quite distracted- have you even heard a single word I've said?" She asks. He looks up at her but instead of the saddened expression he expected, she's sporting a knowing look. 

"I- Oh, I'm sorry Ruby." He said, shaking his head a bit. "What was it that you were talking about?" 

She tucked some hair behind her ear and grabbed a piece of chalk. He watched as she began detailing an outline for one of the idea they brainstormed. 

"I was just making a observation, that's all." 

Gilbert's eyes cut over to Anne and Moody and by now Anne was looking a bit more exasperated by his lack of input. Gilbert knew for a fact that Anne- despite being amazingly stubborn- encouraged being challenged by ideas. It was partly why she reinforced their rivalry so often. 

He wasn't privy to the _other_ reason. 

"Mm? Observing what?" 

Absently, Gilbert heard Ruby stifle a giggle. "Oh, nothing much. Just the look you get when you're thinking about Anne." 

All of Gilbert's attention snapped back to Ruby immediately. "The _what?"_

She was scrubbing away an idea she had, something to do with their thesis statement but her smile stayed. 

"Oh you know. The _look_ you have when you're thinking about Anne." She tilted her head in Anne's general direction as if Gilbert didn't know which Anne she was referring to. _Trust him_ , he _knew_ alright. There's only _one_ Anne in Gilbert's life. 

"I don't have a-" 

"You so too have a look Gilbert Blythe." She huffed. Then her eyes softened. "You were just wearing it a second ago- you know, when you were ignoring me to daydream about her." 

Gilbert spluttered a bit and Ruby turned back to the slate. She wrote a tiny _one, two, three_ by her thesis statement and then moved on to her first paragraph topic sentence. 

"I wasn't _daydreaming."_ Gilbert scoffed, his cheeks flushing red. 

She hardly looked up. "Yeah? Then what did I say I wanted to write the essay about?" 

Gilbert blanked. He tried to come up with topics that Ruby could possibly be interested in and them promptly realized that he had _no_ clue what she could be writing about. He tried squinting at the slate but Ruby turned so he couldn't see her neat, tiny handwriting. 

"Alright, Ruby. You got me." He sighed, then he leaned over a bit in curiosity. "What _are_ you planning out over there?" 

She turned again so he wouldn't be able to see and grinned at him widely. "It's a _surprise._ You can revise it when I'm finished." 

Gilbert Blythe decided there and then that he was _certainly_ above pouting _thank you very much._

"And anyway, you won't pay much attention." Ruby continued. "For Anne will pull you right away." 

"No, she won't." And Gilbert was pleased to report that he didn't even make a sideways glance over to the redhead in question. "I'm all yours Ruby." 

In another time, that would have made Ruby swoon. It would have been a huge deal and there's a high possibly that tears would have been involved. Thankfully, Ruby seems to have moved past her infatuation with Gilbert- only giving him yet another knowing look. 

"I don't know about all that Gilbert." She laughed, making more markings on the slate. She then looked over to where Anne and Moody were sitting and smiled. "Besides, I can't _really_ blame you. She's quite the marvel." 

Gilbert took this as his cue that it was alright to look over and saw Anne, grinning down at the slate, the sunlight from the window hitting her just so- making it so that her hair looked like a fiery sunset. It felt as if all the light in the room was coming directly from her bright grin and it was one hundred percent going to knock Gilbert out. 

"You're doing it again." Ruby sang lightly, writing more words down. Gilbert blushed again but didn't deny it- he figured that it must be so entirely obvious at this point, it was a wonder that Anne hadn't caught on. 

"You look at her like..." Ruby looked up and they locked eyes. There was something wistful in her expression, something longing. "...like she carved out the moon. Like she made the wind blow. Anne would say that it's all very romantical." 

Ruby looked back over to Anne and sighed softly. "Tragically romantical." 

Gilbert frowned a bit, and for once, his gaze was entirely focused on Ruby. On the tightness with which she clutched at the slate. On the slight wetness of her eyes. 

"Ruby," He began cautiously, "do you- do you have feelings for-"

"Oh heavens _no."_ She laughed, a bit too loud and a bit too quick. "I'm not- _no._ I just-" 

She paused a bit and blinked down at her work, seemingly searching for the words. Gilbert knew the feeling very well. There _were_ no words but the truth. 

"I get it Ruby." He placed a hand on her arm in what he hoped was a comforting manner. "I really do." 

She bit her lip for a moment then smiled weakly and patted at Gilbert's hand. He moved away and she went back to writing, a bit slower now. 

"So are you almost finished over there?" He asked, leaning over again. This time she didn't move away, instead turning it so he could see. 

"Yes." 

Gilbert took the slate and his jaw dropped. In neat, small handwriting was: 

_Anne Shirley Cuthbert and Gilbert Blythe's relationship is the subject of much debate in Avonlea's school room. There are many reasons for this: mainly, how easily they both seem to fall together, side by side like it was destined to be. Almost everyone in the vicinity can see it, why can't they? In this essay, I will be bringing light to reasons why they should be in courting and why- in my humblest opinion- they should name their first born after me._

"Ruby!" Gilbert gasped and Ruby smiled _,_ leaning forward slightly. 

"Keep reading Gilbert." 

_It's very obvious that the two subjects in question are tied together and should remain so when they constantly sneak glances at each other from across the classroom. Their eyes are full of mirth and something a lot like love- although of course I wouldn't know, having not experienced such a thing yet. They seem to seek each other out before anyone else, making everyone else in the room feel very much out of the loop._

_They, whether they know it or not, seem to also bring about the best in each other- making school rivalry seem like a million little love confessions. Their love is spelled out in debates, is chalked down in studies, is told through long winded essays. They are matched toe for toe in most every question and constantly challenge one another to be the best version of themselves._

_There's a sincerity to their relationship that makes all others question themselves. Will love like that find them? Will they ever be worthy of such a gaze from other?_

"Ruby," Gilbert murmured softly, his voice ringing with sympathy. 

"Keep reading Gilbert." She chided softly, not meeting his eyes. 

_With all these questions left unanswered, people are forced to find comforting in the fact that such a love even exists. Something so strong and so true that it rings through everyone's heart just as much as it does theirs._

_And, it's effects would only be more apparent if Anne Shirley Cuthbert and Gilbert Blythe would hurry up and confess to one another already!_

_\- Ruby Gillis_

"I- Ruby- we can't-" Gilbert looked down at the full fledged essay with hardly a word to say. "We can't turn this in." 

Ruby sighed. "Gil, stop thinking about _school._ I didn't write this for the _grade._ I wrote it for _you._ So you would realize how infatuated you are with her!" 

"Ruby." Gilbert said, deathly serious now. "How could you think that I wouldn't know? Of course I _know._ It's all that I can think about. Being around her is- like standing at the beach and having a wave crash over you over and over, like standing in direct view of heaven itself. It's entirely too much. It's also never enough."

Ruby looked at him like his heart was breaking. Gilbert _felt_ like his heart was breaking. 

"I _can't_ tell her, Ruby." He whispered. "Losing her would-" 

He didn't finish but Ruby seemed to understand. "Okay. _Okay_ , Gilbert. I understand." She took the slate and her cloth. "But, I do sincerely think you should consider telling her. I didn't just write this entire essay off of a whim. I can _tell._ Your feelings are not as unrequited as you think." 

Gilbert watched her erase all traces of their love from view. He couldn't help that small burst of hope he felt in his chest at Ruby's words. If there was one thing that he knew Ruby was a marvel at, it was love.

"It was a very good essay." He commented. "Your writing has improved in leaps and bounds." 

She tilted her head. "Why thank you. Anne's been helping me." 

"Hm. You should consider creating a writing service." 

"A writing service? As in-" 

"As in an anonymous love advice service." He smiled. "I think it could be quite influential." 

Ruby smiled, as bright at the sun. "That sounds amazing. Maybe I should." 

She turns away again, most likely to begin planning their _real_ essay and Gilbert calls for her again. 

"And Ruby," She looks up, confusion clear in her eyes. "You will find love. I know it. You're smart and fun and you feel things deeply- anyone who can't see that doesn't deserve you much." 

Ruby blinked at him in shock before turning a bit pink. "Thank you Gilbert." 

They then went back to planning their essay, completely unaware of the way both Anne _and_ Moody's eyes watched them lovingly from across the room. 

**Author's Note:**

> here's the playlist I listened to while writing this! <3
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7iSyvejJEIRyAapgC7Sg3u?si=VfbiMnl3SL-RUPK-YEy66Q
> 
> (also,,,,,,,do we want to see a fic where Ruby has a anonymous love advice column? 👀 I feel shocked that I havent seen one yet lol)
> 
> (also also, you can be sure that ruby went home, rewrote that essay on paper and mailed it to anne. cause she Would)


End file.
